Pareidolia
by Hahli Nuva
Summary: When Sam crosses the line, Chris leaves. When he returns, are things better or worse then when his problems began? Sam/Chris and Danny/Cathy.
1. Boss Battle

I Know I haven't been on lately.. I have been really busy these past few months, with moving and all. I'm situated now though, so this is my first major story since… well, forever!

Chris POV

"CHRIS LOOK OUT!" I barely have time to dodge as Nossida hurls another blast from his hands. Pulling out my own blaster, I fire two shots at him, only for them to bounce off. "HAHAAHAHAHAHA! Foolish MBC, always trying to save the world! When will you realize that I am it's TRUE master? Your time is UP!" He yells as he plunges his fist into the ground, sending out a shockwave of energy. Danny and Cathy are knocked back, and Sam and I are burned by the heat. "When will YOU realize that you will never win? " Danny snips. He always has time to crack jokes or one-liners, even in battle. "You tell him Danny!" Cathy says. She's so supportive of everything he does. I have to admit, she's pretty cute when she's like that. I wonder if he notices? No time for that now… we're in a fight, and emotions must be bottled down if we want to win. A lethal virus is going to be spread on Earth… and if we don't stop it…

Sam POV

This isn't good. Danny's trying to be a B-grade comedian, Cathy's trying to disable the bomb, and me and Chris aren't faring off too well. Nossida just won't quit! These blasters are so weak. Whoever made them… curse you! The Double X has some effect, but the Bubble Gun and Vacuvator do nothing! He's developed immunity to its power, which means WE have to come up with an alternate way to defeat him. This virus thing is making me nervous. I've seen movies, but the real thing?

Danny POV

This is just great. Sam and Chris and I are fighting for Earth, (again..) while Cathy tries to stop the bomb from exploding. What bomb you ask? The Nova Gas Bomb. This bomb, according to Nossida's 15 minute monologue, is supposed to infect all human's nervous systems, turning them into mindless zombies! No, not mind control zombies, the type that rips you flesh and eats it zombie. This, needless to say, would put a serious dent in my flirting with Wendy.

Cathy POV

We're on Nossida's ship. How many of these things does he have? It's like one of those ships from that Space Wars movie Chris showed me. Anyway, I'm trying to diffuse this bomb that Nossida claims to be powerful enough to bring Humans to their knees. If it's anything like that one movie I saw, (which scared me!) This wasn't good.


	2. Choices

"RRRAAGH!" Nossida gave out a painful scream as the final five shots pummeled his body. With a growl, he sunk to the floor, defeated. Sam and Chris tied him up with his ship's own tightropes to keep him in place. "Danny, go help Cathy with the bomb!" Sam ordered. Danny nodded and ran to the control room.

"Alright, Sam. Let's bag this poser!"

Sam smiled at Chris before Kneeling down on one knee. Chris watched Sam put her hand under his chin and raise his face to her level. "Get this through your thick skull, Nossida. You will NEVER, EVER come back to earth again." The monster just snickered. "You think idle threats will work on me, human? You should know me better than that, Samantha. I will just return… again and again." Chris shuddered. Sam growled at her foe. "No. Not this time. You won't come back. I'm sick of the nightmares. I'm sick of having to worry everyday for my family and friends. This ends now. You're not going to the Galactic Authorities, because you'll just escape. You're just too evil, Nossida, and I've been holding down my anger for so long."

"Oh? And what might that anger be about?"

"YOU! YOU'RE DONE, NOSSIDA! YOU HEAR ME! I'M GOING TO END YOU! NOW!"

Chris was shocked. What was he to do? He was her best friend! He needed to do something. But all he could do was stand there, frozen in fear. Nossida chuckled. "Go on then… Do it. Break one of your sacred rules." Come on, Sam.. Don't do it…" The leader had long removed her hand from Nossida's face. Instead, it was gripped tightly around her gun.

"What's the matter? Afraid?" Nossida chided. Sam took deep breaths.

"Sam.."

"Leave."

"But.."

"GET OUT!"

"No.."

"… What?"

"I said no. You're my best friend. I'm not going to let you do this if I can help it. I know he's done many evil things, but you can't repeat what he's done. You'll be just like him."

"He's too dangerous to be kept alive, Chris. You and I both know that."

"Hurry, girl. I'm getting impatient." Nossida joined in.

"You Shut up!"

"Sam, I think we can all-

THWACK!

Sam's hand collided with Chris's face. Chris let out a cry of pain before landing on the ship's metal floor.

"GAH! S-Sam! What the heck was that for?"

Sam shook her head.

"Trust me. I know what I'm doing. He will never come between us ever again."

Chris gasped, just before Sam shot Nossida in the head.


	3. The Line

Chris couldn't believe his eyes. Nossida lay on the floor, dead. Sam's hand was shaking, and she dropped the gun , the sound of it hitting the floor doing nothing to quell the tension between them. "….Why?"

"What?"

"YOU HEARD ME! WHY DID YOU DO IT!"

"Chris.. I had no choice…"

" the sound of it hitting the floor doing nothing to quell the tension between them. "….Why?"

"What?"

"YOU HEARD ME! WHY DID YOU DO IT!"

"Chris.. I had no choice…"

"YOU DID HAVE A CHOICE!"

" DON'T YOU START WITH ME! YOU KNOW I HAD TO DO IT! IT WAS THE ONLY WAY!"

Chris growled. He was sick of her treating his opinion as meaningless. He'd been there for her, ever since they were five. She had kept having recurring nightmares about a winged monster swooping in on her and killing her friends and family right before her eyes. It happened in different ways, but always, it was the same result. She had called on him countless times before, and rain or shine, he was always there in her room, holding her tightly and telling her everything would be alright.

Even as he pulled the covers up beside her, he couldn't say for sure if what he said or did had any positive effect. He could only wait. She was so beautiful, even when he was angry at her, he couldn't help but grin every time she smiled at him or sent a look his way. What he was feeling for her now was nothing short of rage. In that moment, she had changed. She broke her promise, to him and those she loved. She had confided in him numerous times how she hated the thought of murder.

She had him swear blood to her that he would not let her go down that road. Her position in the team was that of a leader, even though the team was supposed to remain equals. Why did she let him win? He could only wonder as the girl he loved turned to him, anger evident in her golden eyes.

"Chris…. Please… do it."

"No."

"DO IT."

"NO!"

Sam made a lunge for his blaster, but Chris twisted his body to the side to avoid it. He barely had time to catch his breath when she slammed her fist into his stomach, knocking the wind from his lungs. Chris gasped for air, but managed to bring his fists down on her back, making her flinch. Sam grasped at her back, just as Chris smashed her in the face with the butt of his gun. Sam could feel her blood in her mouth as she reeled back from the attack. Spitting out a wad of blood, she smiled.

"You've been practicing. Good."

"I'm not gonna do it. You said it yourself. You hate killing and murder. AND LOOK WHAT YOU DID!"

"I know what I said."

"Good. Then listen to this."

Chris leaned in close to her, locking his blue eyes with her gold ones. "I QUIT!"

That was the last Sam heard from him. The ride back to Earth was silent. Neither said a word to the other. Danny and Cathy, sensing something was up, left the two friends alone. Chris stared out into the vacuum of space, wondering if his life could get even more screwed up than it already was. He still loved Sam, but she had to admit what she did was crossing the line. When she did, it would make living in the hell of loving her silently so much easier.


	4. Making a choice

**Thanks to all my readers who like this story! Life's been tough, but i finally maanged to update! Here's a kinda short chapter 4. Sorry for the rush. Enjoy! Also, If you want to know what"Paredolia" means, look it up online. (It's also the name of a song, which is what this fic is based on. Look up the song on Youtube. The artist? Elena Siegman. The song's a little dark, but so are my stories!)**

* * *

><p><strong>Paredolia.<strong> Chris ran the word over and over in his head. That was what it all was, right? Sam's hand squeezing the trigger. The heat of the barrel as the scream of death penetrated the damp air. It was as if Death himself had made that shot to kill. Most of the time, their blasters didn't do a shred of damage to Nossida. But this one shot put him down. Why had that happened? What made that shot different from all the other thousand? Was it her emotions? Was it the fact that she WANTED him to die? He remembered her hatred for the villain, but he never thought she could do something like that. When they finally returned to Earth, Chris darted home without much of a word. Cathy and Danny had sensed it had something to do with Nossida, but they were sure he was just nervous about the battle. They knew they were scared, too. Sam had also disappeared. She left for home too. This left Danny and especially Cathy with chilling thoughts. Was this mission so deadly, so important that they not fail, for two of their best and most level headed friends to act like that? Chris and Sam were known to be opportunists, always trying to find a logical or underhanded tactic in battle.

Cathy and Danny were about to part ways. The two had become very close, and this was a perfect time for one of them to make a move.

"What do you think happened with Sam and Chris?"

"I don't know. But I'm sure it had something to do with the fight."

"Oh. I thought it was something else."

"Nah. They'll be the same old best friends tomorrow. You'll see. We'll all laugh about it in the morning."

"Great! Goodnight, Danny-boy!" Cathy walked over and kissed Danny square on the cheek. The jock was stunned, but he still managed to utter "Goodnight Cath.." Before the blonde alien opened her door and walked into her house. Danny shook himself over the feeling, smiled wide, and walked home a happy teen…

"Sam… Why?" Chris looked at his ceiling. His friend would answer for her actions. He had already made up his mind. He would quit the MBC, end his friendship with Sam, and walk away from this nightmare that had become his life. Or, He could be what he always wanted to be... a Hero. He could turn this all around, forgive his friend, and continue on like nothing ever happened. Chris made a decision that night. A decision that would change his life for better or for worse. Grabbing a pen and paper, he turned on his desk lamp and started to write…. e was at a loss for words. This was't normal for him, as he'd always have his brain running and analyzing data, but this time, his gears seemed to just stop entirely.


	5. Voices

**"Hello, Samantha Mason."**

Sam sat upright. Her eyes flashed open, and she swung her legs in a sweeping motion, only to not hit anything.

"Who's there?" She asked bravely. Whatever or whoever this thing was, she was ready for it. She wasn't known for being a coward. Her heart thumped in her chest, but still she clung to the hope that she was fine, still asleep in her room. This was a dream, right? Her life had become even more complicated ever since she agreed to join the MBC, and as the way things were going, she knew it would be a long time for it to change.

**"Relax, Samantha Mason. You're in good hands."**

The Voice was male, and it had a sort of calmness in it. Sam didn't trust the voice, but seeing as she was fully clothed and not being attacked, she let her outside guard down. She took a deep breath and blinked before speaking.

"What do you want with me? And who are you?"

The Voice sighed. **"I am who you think you know, but misunderstand completely."**

Sam pondered the riddle for a moment. Who she knew but didn't understand? What did that mean? She didn't have time to think of a possible answer before The Voice interrupted her thoughts.

**"You have done a very dark deed, Samantha. But you will pay for your crimes. You will destroy a bond. The person you were bonded with will do battle with you, and you will see the error of your ways. Murder is the ultimate evil deed, and Death thy only penance."**

Sam stared into the darkness that surrounded her. She couldn't see her hand in front of her face.

"W-What do you mean? What are you talking about? I would never destroy my relationship with one of my friends! YOU'RE LYING!"

The Voice chuckled. **"You will see that fate is not as you predict, Samantha Mason. Starting tomorrow, your life will change. You can try to stop it, but it will still continue. When your debt is paid, then you can be free."**

Sam wanted to barrage The Voice with questions, but her wishes went ungranted as she found herself in her room, naked and cold. The wind blew an unforgiving breeze outside her widow. The girl could only shiver. The questions ran through her head, as she drifted off into a cold slumber. What did tomorrow hold? Could she change it? The Voice seemed to have her figured out. But she would show him. Whoever he was, he didn't understand her. No one did. Except for him….


	6. Core

Sam trudged up slowly to the large doors of Singletown High. Her mind was a complete mess, the only thing she could think of was what The Voice said to her last night. It seemed like the whole world was against her. Chris was nothing more than a total stranger to her now. She felt all alone. He saw what she did, and soon Danny and Cathy would find out about it and shun her, too. They'd probably strip her of her V-com and kick her out of the club for good! She wouldn't let them. She couldn't. As much as she didn't want to admit it, she found herself liking the constant danger and chaos. She hated it one moment and loved it the next. Her life would never be normal, but she would not have had it any other way.

(Danny POV)

Sam's been acting all weird since we got back from Nossida's ship. Usually she'd be all happy for sending him away again, but for some strange reason, she seemed like she was bothered by something. Chris was in the room with her wasn't he? It seemed like he saw or heard something. Oh well… Cathy was a big help with the bomb disarming. I had no idea of what to do until she did what any smart space girl would have done.: Push all the buttons and hope we don't explode. It worked, (Which is what happens when you watch Star Trek for four hours a day,) and surprised us both before we realized that Chris and Sam were still in the main chamber of the ship with Nossida. When we finally got there, Nossida was defeated, Sam was standing over him with her blaster, and Chris was there, too. Hmm.. Well, whatever happened between them wasn't good, as they'd usually be really close. The air in the room was so thin you could slice it with a knife. Today seemed different, too. I'm not one to try and notice these kinds of things, but it was just too obvious to ignore. Something happened with Sam and Chris, and this bugging feeling won't go away until I've found out what it means. Oh look! There goes Wendy! Man if I had a nickel for how hot she was I'd be…. Rich. Right?

(Chris POV)

I couldn't even concentrate on my classes today. There is only one person on my mind. Sam. What she did, why she did it, it makes me feel like we've already lost whatever foothold we had against the evil forces that threatened this world. Samantha is one for rules and regulations, not recklessness. That is reserved for Danny. Sam's the level headed leader that makes all the right moves and knows exactly what to do to get us out of a sticky situation. I counted on her for everything in a mission. I guess we all did. We all knew that whatever we faced, Sam would have some sort of idea of what to do to make us feel safe. For that, I feel guilty. The three of us have been relying on her too much. I wanted her to think of us as her teammates and partners, not leeches. I want to talk to her, but she's been avoiding me. She cannot hide. I know her like I know the back of my hand. We are one, in mind and body. We feel what the other feels, and when she fired that shot that killed Nossida, I felt a surge of anger and hurt pass through her. I know she didn't want to do it. She even hit me. She never hit me before. Not that I'm weak, but it'll be a cold day in Hell when I have to fight my female counterpart.

(Normal POV)

Cathy slid her tray of questionable items next to Danny's tray. Upon seeing the jock, she smiled. "Hey, Danny!" The jock blushed red at seeing her again. She kissed him on the cheek last week. He quickly scarfed down his sandwich. "I.. I gotta go, Cath… See you later okay?" Blushing, the teen threw his tray away and walked out of the food court. "What was that about? Cathy said to herself. _Is the team falling apart? I hope not… This thing couldn't be that bad, right? _ Cathy Smith took a bite of her apple, wondering if the team, like her apple, would soon be eaten to it's core…


End file.
